By Hasmik Egian, Chief of Staff - United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS)

January 24th, 2013

No amount of hearing and reading about the “paradigm shift” in Somalia, could have prepared me for the incredible reality of the change that unfolded in front of my eyes as we were driven last week from southern to northern Mogadishu to witness the transformation of the city. These were my first sightings of life outside the “UN wire”.

The skeleton symbols of the past war were everywhere, standing next to the newly rising constructions of residential houses, shopping centres, small businesses, restaurants and cafes, new streets being built and old ones cleared of debris.

As I continued the journey with my UN colleagues, we saw what real change meant in Mogadishu. It was an eye opener to see how the bullet-ridden city has changed for the better. It was also confirmation that the successful end of the transition in August 2012, leading to the establishment of Federal Government, is truly benefiting the country. In the past, the streets of Mogadishu had been deserted, but as we drove we saw a vibrant residential area around Lido Beach, the ghosts of once elegant villas and former embassies, juxtaposed with the ever-present tented IDP camps. Still, it was all reminiscent of a place that must have been beautiful once.

The lighthouse near the fish market, was picture-perfect, with fishing boats floating in the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, while holed-out edifices of Ottoman and Italian architecture line the road close to the market area. We witnessed a stunning beachfront of cafes and restaurants serving delicious fresh juices and an array of hot drinks - from traditional tea to cappuccinos, as well as an assortment of local dishes, with families enjoying a peaceful afternoon of togetherness. Had it not been for the armed guards on the beach, it would have been a perfect place of peace and harmony in any other part of the world. Even more surprising was to see a group of young boys and girls playing football on the beach, full of laughter.

Amidst all the destruction, there was so much vibrancy, life and hope … no one would have believed that this would have been possible a year ago in a city/country which had become the quintessential “failed state”. It was a place where hope was the last thing on people’s minds and yet, there it was hope being materialised right in front of our eyes. Seeing “inside” Mogadishu and “feeling” the vibrancy was also a reminder of the great strides made by the Somalis, with support from the international community, including UNPOS, in bringing about a successful political transition which has helped, in turn, to herald these changes on the streets of Mogadishu.

Now that Somalia has a new President, Prime Minister and Parliament, there is a new sense of hope, hope that is paving the way to a brighter future for the people of Somalia.

See scenes of change in Mogadishu on the UNPOS FLICKR site: http://bit.ly/Won9rF and on @UNPOSomalia.

Sunday, 4 November - Two hostages from the Seychelles were released today from captivity after strenuous efforts by the Seychelles Government for over a year. The two hostages, Rony Tambara and Marc Songoire, were captured on 30th October 2011 when their fishing vessel FV Aride ship was attacked by Somali pirates 65 miles west of the Seychelles. The Hostage Relief Programme run by UNPOS and UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) assisted the Seychelles Government with links on the ground. While we welcome with relief the release of the two Seychelles nationals, our thoughts remain with the 147 crew still held on ships and the 41 other victims held on land. The Hostage Relief Programme will continue its efforts in providing its specialised knowledge and expertise on Somalia to help bring people home when it’s possible and put an end on the ordeal endured by the victims of piracy.

Mogadishu, 16 September 2012

The SRSG for Somalia, Dr. Augustine P. Mahiga, congratulates His Excellency President Hassan Sheikh on the occasion of his inauguration as President of Somalia. 

“This is another great day for Somalia and the Somali people. Today in Mogadishu I was honored to bear witness as Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was inaugurated as his country’s President. This marks the end of the transitional period and the beginning of a new era for Somalia. The change that was envisioned in the Roadmap on Ending the Transition has arrived. The process was transparent, representative and Somali-owned and led,” said SRSG Mahiga.

“As the process moves forward,” Dr. Mahiga stated, “the UN Political Office for Somalia will continue to stand with the President in addressing key immediate tasks including stabilization of newly recovered areas, ensuring the integration and stability of the security services, delivering basic services to the Somali people and building a viable judiciary system.”

SRSG Augustine Mahiga

Mogadishu, 6 September 2012

My brothers and sisters, As-Salaamu Alaikum. I write to you as we approach a truly momentous day for all Somalis.  After two decades of civil war, a collapsed state and innumerable indignities to the proud Somali people, we are hours away from the election of a new President—the event that will completely end the transitional period and move us towards a phase of political and socio-economic transformation.

Read the full letter on the UNPOS website

UNPOS SRSG Augustine Mahiga

Mogadishu, 5 September 2012

These are remarkable days in Somalia. After more than two decades of war and civil strife, the Somali people have taken matters into their own hands and in quick succession have achieved the series of benchmarks necessary to end the transitional period and move forward to a new more legitimate and representative political dispensation. In the past few weeks we have seen the convening of a National Constituent Assembly which adopted a provisional Constitution, we have witnessed the standing up and successful completion of the work of a Technical Selection Committee, we have cheered at the inauguration of a new federal Parliament and the election of a Speaker and deputies. And now we are only days away from an historic presidential election.  

My contacts with the Speaker, Mr. Jawari, have convinced me that he is the right man for the job at this critical moment. Parliament is the highest sovereign body in the land and as its leader he deserves our support and our trust during these decisive times.

So let me take this opportunity to congratulate our new Parliamentarians for the progress they have made so far. The future of Somalia depends on each and every legislator voting for whomever they believe can best lead their country.  I encourage them to carry out this sacred trust free from any external influence. The vote will be carried out by secret ballot and I call on all Parliamentarians to do their civic duty and vote with their heart and their conscience.

10 August 2012

One of the truths I’ve come to learn during my time working on the Somalia peace process is that everything seems impossible—until it happens. I have lost count of the number of times I have read or been told that a particular benchmark simply could not be met or that an impasse could not be overcome. When I began as SRSG, one of my diplomatic interlocutors referred to Mogadishu as “The Capital Kilometer”—a reference to the small amount of territory held by the TFG.  Around the same time, prior to the June 2011 Kampala Accord, the political process in Mogadishu was completely paralyzed. Cynicism bordering on hostility was the norm. There was a real danger of the TFG fracturing into two separate and competitive governments. The end of the transitional period was a distant dream, given little chance of realization by most observers. 

Since then, the TFG—with the help of our brave AMISOM brothers and sisters—have retaken their capital city. A reinvigorated peace process characterized by inclusiveness and participation of regional administrations allowed for progress on a number of critical political issues. We’ve seen the signing of the roadmap in Mogadishu, the agreement of the Garowe Principles to underpin the ongoing process and most recently the watershed adoption of the provisional Constitution by a National Constituent Assembly representing all segments of Somali society. But this is no time to rest on our laurels—in fact on the contrary now is the critical moment; the decisive juncture when full engagement can mean all the difference. And let us be clear: the situation remains fragile and volatile. A functioning legislature will be central to stability, stabilization and development and the New Federal Parliament needs to be selected in the coming days with a sufficient number of women to ensure gender balance and adequate representation. The selection process must be transparent and fair and the Technical Selection Committee must continue with its important and historic task.  Their work will require courage, integrity and overall, independence.  Somalia needs a clean, qualified and competent leadership with a vision for the future. 

As the end of the transition on 20 August nears, the stakes will get higher and the potential for spoilers to undermine the process will increase. I am sure there will be moments in the coming days when the situation will look bleak and the critics will again raise the familiar cry that things never really change in Somalia.  I reject this hopelessness and I remain more optimistic. When I look back on the past year, I see how far we have come, I see how the Somalis have tenaciously moved the process forward, I see a civil society determined to participate in a vibrant and inclusive political process. We have climbed a big hill, but now that we are near the top, it is clear to see that a long road stretches out in front of us. It is time to move, together, from selection to election, from transition to transformation.  

After independence in 1960, the Republic of Somalia adopted a written constitution by national referendum. This was replaced by a new constitution in 1979, adopted again by national referendum. Following the total breakdown of governmental structures in Somalia in the 1990s, the Transitional National Charter, adopted in 2000, was the first attempt to reestablish governmental functions by means of a constitution.

The Transitional National Charter expired in 2003, and was replaced by the Transitional Federal Charter in 2004. Today, this remains the transitional constitution governing the Transitional Federal Government and its institutions. The National Constituent Assembly is now empowered to provisionally adopt a new constitution to replace the Transitional Federal Charter. This constitution would then become the permanent constitution for Somalia pending adoption by national referendum.

The Guide Book below is designed to aid the Somali people to become familiar with the contents of the draft Provisional Constitution.

Available in Somali and English.